NUC11 with Optane + SATA?

[ElliottP]

Hi all,

I have a NUC11TNHi3 and what I'm hoping to do is use two disks: an NVMe Optane MEMPEK1J032GAD and a 2.5" SATA disk (Crucial CT2000MX500SSD1).

With the Optane disk plugged in, the NUC won't boot at all unless I enable the VMD controller in BIOS, but now that I figured that out, it's OK with me.

BUT: I can't seem to use both disks at the same time.  I'm trying to boot Linux, and if I have only the Optane drive installed, it works fine and I can use that drive; if I have only the SATA disk installed, it works fine.  If I have both installed, I can use the Optane device but Linux can't see the SATA drive; during boot it gives me "failed to IDENTIFY (I/O error, err_mask=0x4)."

If I use a non-Optane NVMe SSD, whether or not I have VMD enabled in BIOS, I can use both SSDs.  So the issue is specifically with the Optane drive.

Now: if I go to https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000024061/intel-nuc/intel-nuc-kits.html, I can see that NUC7, NUC8, NUC9, NUC10, and NUC12 support Optane memory, but NUC11 for some reason doesn't.  That said, both the chipset and CPU in the NUC11 support Optane, and the BIOS specifically calls it out with the VMD controller, and there are combinations of settings and hardware that make the Optane device work.

So the question, finally: is there some combination of settings that will allow me to use both the Optane memory and the SATA SSD, simultaneously, in Linux?  Or is this not officially supported for a reason, and I'm SOL?  I would have bought a NUC12, which claims to support Optane memory, but those don't appear to actually exist beyond Intel's web site.

To (I hope) satisfy the first round of bots:

NUC model number: BNUC11TNHi30001

NVMe Optane device: MEMPEK1J032GA

SATA drive: Crucial CT2000MX500SSD1

BIOS: TNTGL357.0062.2021.1203.1108

Yes, I tried another power adapter

Yes, the Optane memory is working; it works in the NUC if the SATA disk isn't plugged in, and works in another computer

Any hints would be appreciated!

Thanks

[AndrewG_Intel]

Hello @ElliottP

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.

Please allow us to review this further and we will be posting back in the thread once we have more details available.

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[ElliottP]

Awesome, thanks!

[LeonWaksman]

Hello Eliot,

1. In addition to the fact that Intel Optane Memory is not supported in your NUC, it is also not supported in Linux. Only Windows 10/11 64 bit is supported (this requirement is valid for all NUCs. Please refer to Information about the Intel® Optane™ Memory M Series.

2. Please read para. 1.2 in the Optane Installation Guide. 

Leon

[ElliottP]

Hi Leon,

1. Optane memory works fine in Linux. I've been using this configuration for years in multiple computer setups.  I acknowledge that the NUC11 isn't listed as officially supporting Optane memory, but given that the processor and chipset of the NUC both support Optane, and the BIOS has a setting specifically labeled as required for Optane, my hope is that maybe that's just an omission.

2. Yes this document is about setting up the M10 as an accelerator for another disk, which requires Windows, but that's not what I'm doing. It does illustrate the problem, though which is that I can't disable VMD for the SATA disk once it's enabled for the Optane device (it lets me make the selection, but then when I save and quit it un-does it).

It's possible that the VMD feature of the 11th-gen CPU will prevent me from doing what I need to do since it wants to take control of all disks and make me use Windows. My hope is that I've just missed a setting in the BIOS configuration.

[AndrewG_Intel]

Hello ElliottP

After reviewing this further, the information about the incompatibility is correct (as LeonWaksman also pointed out).

We have double-checked and confirmed that the Linux* operating system (OS) is not compatible with Intel® Optane™ M Series as per system requirements. On the other hand, based on the Product Specifications, Intel® Optane™ is not supported by the Intel® NUC 11 Pro Kit NUC11TNHi3.

Our understanding is that when you use "a non-Optane NVMe SSD" (which is the type of drives supported by this NUC) you can use both SSDs. That indicates that the NUC works fine within specifications.

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[ElliottP]

Hi,

I'd say "thanks for your help" but you didn't actually help! I agree with your reading of PDF files. I'd invite you to understand, and even try using, the products you're supporting. I can (literally - I just did, to try it out) install Linux on the Optane module plugged into the NUC11 kit. All of this works, despite not being officially supported. The only thing that breaks it is attempting to use a second drive at the same time, which appears to be broken.

So I have to agree that the NUC11 works as advertised.  Excellent effort.

[AndrewG_Intel]

Hello ElliottP

Thank you for your response and for the feedback.

Unfortunately, as per the system requirements previously shared, on Intel® VMD Embedded Platforms, drivers may not be detected until OS drivers are loaded, since there are no drivers for Linux, and there may be conflict detecting drives.

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[ElliottP]

Hi,

OK so this is slightly more informative.  Actually useful information would be:

1. Why will the system not boot (blank screen, flashing power LED) if VMD is not enabled when the Optane drive is plugged in?

2. Why is it not possible to set the SATA disk as "not managed by VMD" when VMD is enabled?

[AndrewG_Intel]

Hello ElliottP

Thank you for your response.

Sure, please allow us to check these inquiries and we will be posting back in the thread as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Ronny_G_Intel · Accepted solution]

Hi ElliottP,

Intel VMD (Volume Management Device) technology provides volume management across separate PCI Express HBAs and SSDs without requiring operating system support or additional drive communication

Example, the Operating System will see a single RAID volume instead of multiple storage volumes, when Volume Management Device is used.

In simple terms, this technology in Tiger Lake platform improves the efficiency of the Optane driver. I don't know if there's a way to implement Optane without VMD on this platform.

On the second question about SATA, the VMD device is always enabled on a platform where VMD device is deployed. There is a specific BIOS configuration flow that must be followed when the VMD is enabled. That is why it is not possible to set it as not managed by VMD.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Ronny G

[ElliottP]

Hi,

Thanks for this response.

For sure, if VMD is not enabled, the system will not even power up with an Optane device installed (it appears to fail pre-POST and you just get a flashing power LED).

On the SATA question - the setting to disable VMD only for the SATA device is there in BIOS, and I'm allowed to select that setting; it just doesn't survive "save settings and exit."  It sounds like this is just suboptimal behavior of the GUI, and that the system is operating as designed (by not allowing the setting).  This makes some sense.

Thanks

[AndrewG_Intel]

Hello ElliottP

Thank you for your response and for your feedback. It has been a pleasure to assist you with these concerns.

Also, since the thread has been marked as "Solved" we will proceed to close it now. If you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician